Fight against schistosomiasis starts with mass treatment in Samar

By PIA Samar / AVHA H. EBALDE
July 3, 2012

CATBALOGAN CITY – The Municipal Health Office (MHO) of San Jorge, Samar conducted a schistosomiasis awareness and mass treatment at San Jorge (Samar) municipal covered court today, July 3, 2012.

San Jorge Samar is the 2nd municipality that has the most number of schistosomiasis cases with 26 endemic barangays, while Calbayog City has the most number of cases with 33 endemic barangays.

Samar Provincial Schisto coordinator Daniel Maravilla said that this is the 4th year of their mass treatment in the whole province.

In line with this, Regional Schisto-Coordinator Agnes Cuayzon presented the Sentinel survey that shows the percentage of the whole region 8 in schisto cases.

It shows that in 2011, Samar has 2.6 percent of schisto cases which went down to 2.2 percent in 2012 with only 10 endemic municipalities, considered as having the lowest schisto cases in the whole region.

The early stage treatment lowered the rate of schistosomiasis cases in the province, the health worker said.

Cuayzon added that the highest number of schisto cases in the region with 5.3 percent and 25 endemic municipalities is Leyte and the Eastern Samar with 6.1 percent and 11 endemic municipalities and 168 barangays.

Northern Samar has 3 percent with 16 endemic municipalities and 168 endemic barangays.

During the program Maravilla and Municipal Health Officer Dr. Gabriel Casuga discussed the symptoms of schistosomiasis like, abdominal pain, headache, diarrhea, high fever, and a stool with blood.

“We can see the manifestation of schistosomiasis in ages between five and eight years old,” Dr. Casuga said.

He also added that it is important to get a health check up even if there is no manifestation of schistosomiasis.

Casuga said anyone aged 5 to 65  years old can take the medicine for schistosomiasis.

Meanwhile, the local government officers, partners/stakeholders, guests, members of Philippine National Police, Philippine Army joined the mass treatment and showed their full support by taking the medicine during the activity.

There were about 300 participants students from different schools in San Jorge, teachers and principals, community folks from the different barangays who joined the mass treatment and took the medicine for schistosomiasis.

The medicines were provided by the Department of Health Region 8; PHO Samar provided the services when it comes to technical assistance in conducting advocacy.

A fun run at six o’clock in the morning dubbed as “Takbo Para han Schisto”, was the initial activity from Barangay Rosalim through the major highway leading to the municipal covered court of San Jorge town.

The participants were from the MHO, led by Dr. Gabriel Casuga, with the Provincial Health Office schisto team, partners and stakeholders, Barangay officials among others.